Boracay Island is the best known travel destination in the Philippines. The 4-kilometer long white-sand beach has made it arguably the best beach in the world. Due to the high number of visitors - foreign and domestic - coming to Boracay, dive shops have proliferated.
In recent years, the country has been hit by bad publicity. The threat of Abu Sayyaf terrorist activities is an undeniable fact. However, this threat is limited to the island of Basilan, located far away from Boracay. The good news is that the government has stepped up security in the Philippines - most especially in tourist spots like Boracay.
Due to less people traveling to Boracay, some dive shops have ceased operations. They are listed here for informative purposes as these defunct shops may still be listed in some search engines and directories.
A question that may be asked is why some dive shops closed down. There are probably lots of reasons but one that stands out is price dropping. Beware of dive shops that are willing to drop prices when most others are offering basically the same price. These are the dive shops that cannot possibly make enough sales to sustain their operation and more importantly, maintain their rental scuba equipment.
Certified recreational scuba divers know from their training that they are allowed to rent equipment and dive on their own with a buddy. This is superceded by an unwritten statute in Boracay that all diving activities are to be conducted in a dive shop and led by dive professionals. Perhaps this is the reason why diving accidents in Boracay have been kept to a minimum.
Scuba diving, while it is fun and relaxing, has its inherent risks. A responsible dive shop should totally eliminate all factors contributing to added risks, if it can be done. An example would be maintaining rental equipment regularly. Another is to make sure that the staff has proper training. Visit Boracay Diving Preview and Tips for more information on choosing a dive shop.
Since all dives are led by a dive professional, divers should make it a point to check the certification card of their dive guide. It is safe to assume that virtually all dive professionals in Boracay are members of PADI or other internationally-recognized agencies. The certification card of a divemaster, assistant instructor and instructor should have a decal (sticker) that is marked with the current year. This is important because some diving schools use uncertified persons to conduct or assist in scuba diving activities. Some have been certified but do not have current teaching status. It seems that most, if not all, Korean dive shops and a few others are guilty of this malpractice.
To make the Boracay diving industry truly world-class, an association was formed in 1996. The Boracay Association of Scuba Diving Schools (BASS) is a non-profit organization, of which all diving schools listed below are members. This organization strives to regulate and police its ranks. Jun Bondoc of Aqualife Diver's Academy is the most active officer of BASS. Presently serving as the Treasurer and Disciplinary Officer, he caught a Korean diver spearfishing at popular dive site last September 2002.
Jun may not talk much but he gets the job done. With his strong leadership and influence among the members, BASS hopes to finally shut down unscrupulous dive shops, thereby raising the standards of the local diving industry.